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Wycombe 1 Pompey 0: Cook plea follows second straight loss

Paul Cook appealed to Pompey's fans to stick with the team after a second successive 1-0 defeat saw them slip to seventh in League Two.

A single goal just after half-time was enough to beat the Blues at Wycombe - just as it had been at home to Exeter the previous weekend.

Pompey were certainly unfortunate to come away from Adams Park pointless, having played well and controlled long periods of the game. But the inability to carve out many direct efforts at goal is a concern.

Cook brought in Eoin Doyle and Jamal Lowe for their first Pompey starts and Lowe might have put Pompey in front in the first minute after Gary Roberts playd him into a decent position, but he shot wide.

It was perhaps telling that it took a couple of efforts by defenders - first Christian Burgess from a corner and then a shot by Enda Stevens - to carry Pompey's biggest threat of a first half breakthrough.

Wycombe took the lead three minutes after the break whwn Scott Kashket shot and a major deflection took it beyond David Forde -who surely would have saved the shot had it not been diverted.

Kyle Bennett, Roberts, Doyle and subs Carl Baker and Conor Chaplin all went close to salvaging a point but Wanderers held on to leapfrog Pompey in the table and put Cook's men under big pressure to gain back to back home wins when Accrington and Blackpool visit Fratton next week.

Cook told the club website: 'We had some great opportunities and unfortunately we couldn’t win, but the reaction from our fans made it feel like one. That makes me so proud. When you hear the final whistle and get an ovation like we did, then it’s because they’re happy with the performance.

'Nobody was pleased with the result, but in terms of how we played, I don’t think there were many who were unhappy. I know that my job is to get us promoted and I will move heaven and earth to achieve that for them.'

Pompey: Forde; Evans, Burgess, Clarke, Stevens; Linganzi, M.Doyle (c); Lowe (Baker 72), Roberts (Chaplin 86), Bennett (Naismith 72); E.Doyle. Subs not used: O’Brien, Whatmough, Rose, Hunt

Referee: Graham Salisbury

Attendance: 6,028 (1,800 Pompey fans)

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